YOU can understand why Nahaarr is popular for this afternoon’s Unibet Stewards’ Cup. William Haggas’ horse is a talented and progressive sprinter who has won five of his eight races. He ran a big race in the Silver Wokingham at Royal Ascot, when he travelled well in front before getting run down inside the final furlong, and he was impressive in winning at Newbury last time off a 1lb higher mark.

He is a hugely likeable horse, but he is very short for a race that is as competitive as a Stewards’ Cup, racing, as he will be, off a mark that is 7lb higher than his Newbury mark.

There are lots of interestingly handicapped horses around at much bigger prices. Angel Alexander, for example, is back down to a mark of 103, just 2lb higher than the mark off which he won the Ayr Gold Cup so impressively last September.

Danzeno is racing off a mark of 105, the mark off which he finished a good third in the Coral Sprint at York in September. Hey Jonesy is only 4lb higher than his Wokingham-winning mark, when he did remarkably well to make all the running on the far side.

That said, Atalanta’s Boy looks a fair way over-priced at 25/1. David Menuisier’s horse progressed nicely last season as a four-year-old, winning three of his seven races, including a handicap over today’s course and distance on heavy ground in September, and it looks like he has continued that progression so far this season.

He made all to win a six-furlong handicap at Chelmsford on his debut early in June, and he stepped forward from that last time when he chased home Arcanada at Windsor. He was drawn in stall nine that day, farthest from the stands rail, but he showed good pace to race in the front rank, only giving best to Arcanada deep inside the final furlong.

The handicapper raised him by 2lb for that run, which was fair. He is progressive enough to cope with that, and the winner of the Windsor race, Arcanada, enhanced that form by finishing second to Aljady next time off a 3lb higher mark.

On that basis, there shouldn’t be much between Atalanta’s Boy and Aljady today, but Aljady is 5lb higher than he was when he won at Windsor, when he flashed out and bagged the stands rail from stall four. He is a player today, but marginal preference is for Atalanta’s Boy, who may be better-drawn in stall five.

On balance, you probably prefer to be drawn low than high in the Stewards’ Cup. Atalanta’s Boy is a prominent racer, who should be able to jump out smartly and bag an early position on the far side. Crucially, he is unbeaten in two runs at Goodwood, both over today’s course and distance.

Also, he is still progressing as a sprinter after just 11 runs, and Goodwood is a track at which a prominent style of racing is not a disadvantage.

Lillie Langtry

Enbihaar sets a high standard in the Group 2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes. Last year’s winner, John Gosden’s mare ran well on her seasonal return in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting on unsuitably soft ground, and that could have brought her forward nicely for today.

That said, she is short, and she won on her debut last season and was beaten on her second run. There is a chance that one of the three-year-olds could progress sufficiently to get up to her level. Snow was only just beaten by Thursday’s Nassau Stakes runner-up One Voice in the Blue Wind Stakes at Leopardstown in June, and she stepped forward from that next time when she stepped up in trip to a mile and a half and won the Munster Oaks.

She didn’t run badly last time in the Irish Oaks, and there is a chance that she will progress again for a step up to a mile and six furlongs today.

There is also a good chance that Cabaletta will progress for the step up in trip today. Roger Varian’s filly has always shaped like a stayer. She beat Frankly Darling by a length on her racecourse debut over a mile at Yarmouth in October last year, and she finished second to Franconia in a listed race at Newbury over 10 furlongs on her debut this term.

She disappointed on soft ground at Haydock next time behind Manuela De Vega – who is two for two on soft ground at Haydock – in the Lancashire Oaks next time but, back on better ground last time, and over a mile and a half again, she stayed on strongly to win the Listed Aphrodite Stakes.

By Mastercraftsman out of Allegretto, who won a Park Hill Stakes and a Prix Royal-Oak and a Henry VII Stakes, she could improve significantly now for stepping up to a mile and six furlongs for the first time.

She will have to progress if she is to get up to the level of the 113-rated Enbihaar, but there is a chance that she will. Racing for just the fifth time in her life, she has bundles of potential, and it is worth taking that chance at the price.

Recommended

Cabaletta, 3.00 Goodwood, 1 point win, 15/2 (generally)

Atalanta’s Boy, 3.35 Goodwood, 1 point each-way, 25/1 (generally)